THE SPEED OF LIGHT

Eliora Kiran's POV

I heaved a deep breath as I felt all the sun's energy I had absorbed this morning. I have been saving up energy for this day. I would need this, because it is only I who can heal the Stellars. And I know this battle would take a long time.

My eyes wandered around the whole plaza. There are a lot of different monsters coming out of the hole reaching the underworld. Everything is slowly getting hotter as it becomes bigger. What is happening is destructive, but I know that the curse will be even worse. I can feel danger everywhere as the light is slowly being dominated by darkness.

A hand suddenly grabbed my hand. When I looked beside me, I saw the son of Demeter, smiling at me reassuringly. He pulled me into a hug and caressed my head with his other hand. "Love, let's survive this together, hmm?" he gently said as the hug got tighter. He's been like this since Ate D left, and I know I haven't been responding well to him these past few months. I sighed and hugged him tighter than what he was giving me. I need to let go of these emotions first for now. I should focus on what is in front of me.

"I love you, my Gaddiel. I'm sorry I have been down since last last last month, huhu. I will make bawi na," I said. I felt him tense a bit, but he was quick to cup my face. Since we have been together, this is the first time I have seen his eyes glistening like this. I-is he going to cry? "Are you sure you're alright?" he asked. I gave him my brightest smile that only he knows. After that, joy was painted all over his face as he closed the remaining gap between our faces. I felt his longing when he hugged me again after that short kiss. I chuckled and kissed him for the last time before I pushed him away slightly. "We're at war, Gaddy! Mamaya na ulit!" He only chuckled before holding my hand again. Then, he kissed the back of it before letting go. "Let's go."

Just like that, our swords appeared from our hands and instantly, our vigor was leaking upon them. Hindi naman mamamatay ang mga halimaw na 'to with just slashes. If it's not infused with magi, they would only resurrect.

"Pillars, third formation, now! Fight in pairs, scatter!" As soon as he said his commands, his members looked at him with their proud faces, smirking as they formed pairs and then running together towards the circle where most of the monsters were. With them, both of us started running towards the ugly monsters. Kadiri!

I have always been scared of spiders, but now that I am seeing them coming out of the hole simultaneously, I only feel disgust and the intent to kill them. How are they even alive if their mother is dead?

Maybe nasanay na lang din ako sa mukha nila kaya hindi na ako natatakot ngayon. Mabuti na lang. 'Nahara: invading light slash, quadruple!' I swung my sword one time, but four waves of light slashes went towards the wave of spiders in front of me. Napalakas ata masyado ang pag-swing ko. Naabot niya rin kasi 'yung iba na kakalabas lang ng hole. Ih! Kadiri talaga 'yung hemolymph!

"Ivieon: Serpent roots, bloom." When Gaddiel struck his sword on the ground, roots started blooming out of it, like snakes breaking out of their shells. The roots look like they were wooden swords with sharp edges, dancing like snakes. They move like they have their own mind. Gaddiel removed his sword from the ground, but the roots stood still, slashing enemies they could reach.

"So cool!" I commented, as I cut the chimera in four. "Watch it!" I wasn't able to see the huge viper in front of me. Mabuti na lang at mabilis ang reflexes ni Gaddiel. The viper fell on the ground, splattered in pieces because of the vine tightly surrounding it. "Baby, observe!"

I pouted and winked at him. He was caught off guard, so I saw how his cheeks turn red. "You got my back naman eh!" Nakangiti itong napailing dahil sa sinabi ko.

A shriek came out from the hole, making me turn my head towards it. There, I saw a tall and big creature with a human upper body and a snake half. The she-viper...and the mother who gives birth to different hideous monsters, Echidna.

Puro kaliskis ang katawan niya at parang maduming-madumi ang kulay puti niyang buhok. Her teeth are yellow. Yuck! Puro tartar! Hindi ba available ang toothbrush sa underworld? "Do not kill my children!" she screamed before walking? Or was she crawling towards us? When she was near our direction, she spat. It was a yellow liquid that is releasing fumes. Oh my goddesses!

I quickly used my sword and shielded me from that venomous spit. Then, I covered myself with a blinding amount of light before running towards the viper woman who is now struggling to keep her eyes open. "Nahara: Reflecting light beam, locked." The sun above might have been covered, but it is still there. From an opening above, the sun's rays traveled towards my sword, and when it hit the blades, I swung my sword with all my might. The light was reflected by my sword to her head, and then reflected to her shoulders before going to her chest, and it kept on hitting each part of her body until it reached the tip of her tail.

She screamed in pain as blood trickled down the wounds on her whole body. No scale is so thick that light cannot pass through it. Pero kahit naman mapatay ko siya e hindi rin naman siya forever na patay. She would just be back to the underworld. Ang kaso nga lang, it would take her more time before she can heal. I have targeted the most critical points in her body so that her regeneration would be slow. I won't let her be back here, not today.

"Nice job!"

"Crush mo na naman ako," I said.

He was about to go to me when a flash of light suddenly went past the space between us. What is that speed? Where did it come from? Then, it was followed by another streak. "Careful!"

I tried locating where it is coming from, but I can't seem to find its source. "Baby, back!" Nagulat ako sa sigaw ni Gaddiel at kusang napaharap sa kanya. I quickly deflected the sword that was aiming for my chest. I saw light coming out of the man's sword. I don't know who he is, but it seems like we have the same father.

There is no other emotion on his face except rage. Bakit nagagalit naman ang isang 'to? He is surrounded by a huge amount of vigor. It was white, or was it yellow? He plunged at me, but I easily dodged his attacks. He was fast, but he was too slow in my eyes.

He continuously attacked me, and I was just protecting myself, waiting for an opening to end this all. I can't help but cringe with the sound of our blades hitting each other. Idagdag mo pa ang clanking ng swords ng ibang naglalaban. Ugh! Ang sakit sa tainga!

Sa totoo lang, hindi naman mahirap salagin itong atake niya. I don't usually attack first, because for me, knowing your enemy's blind spots and weaknesses should be the first thing to do. Kaya hinahayaan ko lang siya. His energy and stamina is fast to deplete, but it is also easily replenished. Hindi ko alam pero hindi stable ang flow ng magical energy sa katawan niya. His core is not filled with his magi. This isn't normal for a demigod. The magical energy in his body is scattered and they were really unstable. Para bang wala siyang iisang source ng magi. That is also the reason why his vigor is all over the place.

Oh my gee! I tripped and fell on my back, making my opponent have the upperhand. He tried stabbing me in the face but I quickly dodge. However, I did not expect his next move. I cried in pain as he stepped over my stomach.

"Eli!" I heard Gaddiel called. "Focus, Gaddy!" He's fighting someone who happened to have the same ability as him. The man's sword was covered with thorns as he continuously plunged towards Gaddiel. Wala naman akong dapat ipag-alala. He's the captain of the second strongest group of demigods, after all.

I turned to my opponent and gave him a glare when he was about to do it again. This time, I caught his foot and quickly changed our positions. He was now the one on the ground, but he was quick to stand up and he continued overwhelming me with his attacks. I can see through his movements and it was the same pattern he was doing. He's just exhausting his power that keeps on restoring.

I was waiting for this moment. The side of my lips curled as I realized what he was.

Assessing complete. Initiating counter attack. I changed my eye color to the brightest yellow, and suddenly, the world became too slow for me. It is time to attack. "Nahara..." I called. My sword responded when it glowed really bright. I smiled. "Flash." Then, with my sword glowing, I ran past him with the speed of light, slashing all the way through.

"Sorry, fake, you would not win today," I said as I posed for the imaginary camera. This is my ending demigod moment.

I saw eight other fake demigods standing a few meters away from me. They were from different deities, I think. If creating creatures like them requires the deities' blood, does this mean that the other deities gave a few ounces of their ichor for this to happen? Pero mahalaga pa ba 'yon? Sa mga panahon bang ito ay iisipin ko pa ba ang mga ganoong bagay?

I twisted my sword and tightened my grip on it. I fixed my stance and let my vigor cover my whole body. Then, I smirked when I saw Kuya Dan watching my battle. I just figured what would be the best sword art to use. Though light may seem weak and formless, with speed, it can also devour. I eyed my opponents as my eyes continued gleaming. This time, I know that it would never revert back to its lighter shades.

No matter how many of these creatures they create, one thing is for sure...

"Nahara: Serpent dance." I said as I traveled with the speed of light, dancing like a crawling serpent made of light.

They would not win against me and the others. The pseudosemideuses can never surpass the divinity of the children of the divine. Our power is innate, and it continues to develop until we reach the peak.

"Eli, that's plagiarism!"

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